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New report presents a detailed overview of European Smart Grids Projects

New report presents a detailed overview of European Smart Grids Projects

04/05/2012

A new report entitled Mapping & Gap Analysis of Current European Smart Grids Projects, just published by the European Electricity Grid Initiative (EEGI), presents a detailed overview of completed and ongoing Smart Grids projects (mapping) and identifies gaps that emerge from the results in relation to the EEGI implementation plan (gap analysis). Overall, 203 projects from 22 European countries were identified by key experts nominated by representatives of Member States.

The survey has enabled major research needs to be identified not only in terms of technology, but also regarding the framework needed for successful deployment of Smart Grids and the development of common standards. In terms of technology, the survey has identified gaps in monitoring data for modelling the interactions of low voltage and medium voltage networks. Electricity storage is another area requiring attention. While several projects are coming to an end this year, others will be yielding results over the next two to three years, especially regarding e-mobility, active demand-side management and voltage control concepts.

The EEGI is an industrial initiative under the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) and aims to enable the distribution of up to 35% of electricity from dispersed and concentrated renewable sources by 2020. Most of the European network was built over 30 years ago and designed for one-way energy flows from large centralized fully controllable power plants to the customer. The European energy system, however, is facing radical changes, while the integration of renewable energy requires new planning and operation procedures for high voltage networks as well as distribution networks. A nine-year research, development and demonstration programme and implementation plan has been drawn up, with costs estimated to reach around EUR 2 billion, not counting the costs of deploying the final solutions.